A tuberculosis exposure was reported at San Diego City College between Sept. 15, 2023, and Feb. 21, 2024, officials from the County of San Diego said in a statement on Feb. 29.
Officials said that the County’s Tuberculosis Program, San Diego City College (SDCC), and SDCC’s Early Education Center (EEC) are working to notify employees, students, and children potentially exposed to tuberculosis on the college’s campus.
It is believed that exposure to the general public and the majority of the students from the college has been limited and those who may have been exposed to the disease have been notified, the statement said.
Dr. Wilma Wooten, county public health officer, said that “symptoms of active TB include persistent cough, fever, night sweats and unexplained weight loss.”
“Most people who become infected after exposure to tuberculosis do not get sick right away. This is called latent TB infection. Some who become infected with tuberculosis will become ill in the future, sometimes even years later if their latent TB infection is not treated. Blood tests and skin tests are effective in determining whether someone has been infected,” according to Dr. Wooten.
“Unfortunately, young children are at higher risk of rapid progression to active TB disease, so complete evaluation and preventive treatment for young children is particularly important,” Wooten said.
County officials noted that tuberculosis is an airborne disease that is transmitted from person to person through inhalation of the bacteria from the air. The chance of infection is higher for those who have been in prolonged indoor exposure to a person who has tuberculosis.
Taking medicines for latent tuberculosis infection may cure the infection and prevent active tuberculosis disease, officials said in the statement. Officials also said that young children should get a tuberculosis test together with chest x-rays and take preventive drugs until a full evaluation has been made.
County officials reported that the number of active tuberculosis cases in San Diego County has been decreasing since 1990 and is now stable, with 243 reported in 2023, while the number of latent cases in the county is estimated to be 175,000.
According to the statement, individuals with latent tuberculosis should undergo preventive treatment to keep the disease from becoming active.
Officials said those who want more information on this potential exposure should call the County TB Control Program at 619-692-8621.
